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Carlow (Ceatharlach)

This research guide is designed to help you find your Irish ancestors in our genealogy print collection.  The McClelland Library uses the Dewey Decimal Classification System to make our print materials findable through the online catalog and while browsing our shelves in person.  Below you will find books to help you locate your ancestors in county Carlow.

929.1: Books under this dewey number at the McClelland Library are primarily about how to get started with genealogy research and where to find certain sources.

Tracing your Irish Ancestors by John Grenham

Call Number: Geneal. 929.1072 G865t        Publication Date: 1999

A comprehensive guidebook for Irish genealogy; includes tips for where to begin, what to expect, and brief exploration of internet source. Grenham provides major source lists of Civil, Census, Church, and Land Records, Wills, Genealogy office, Deed Registries, Newspaper and Directory listings, and a reference guide of Sources by County. 

Irish Towns, a Guide to Sources edited by William Nolan and Anngret Simms

Call Number: Geneal. 929.1072 Ir47    Publication Date: 1998

Provides brief overview of the history of towns and territorial divisions in Ireland, including several maps, drawings, and prints. Also includes source listing of records of Central and Local Government after 1700, Estate and Church records, Newspapers, Directories, and Gazetteers, and a select bibliography of publications on Irish Towns in the period from 1500-1980, printed between 1969 and 1993.

929.3: Books under this dewey number at the McClelland Library are primarily Genealogy Sources or books of compiled resources put together by genealogists.

Indexes to Irish Wills edited by W.P.W. Phillimore and Gertrude Thrift

Call Number: Geneal. 929.3 P54i   Publication Date: 1909

Date Range: 1536-1858

Index of wills from Sees (Diocese) in Ossory, Leighlin, Ferns, and Kildare, in what was the ancient Province of Dublin.  Contents include the Calendar of Wills for each diocese listing in alphabetical order the full name, county, and date of probate.

 

Irish County Maps Showing the Locations of Churches in Leinster Province provided by the Genealogical Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Call Number: Geneal. 929.3418 Ir43L    Publication Date: 1976

Date Range: 1631-1873

Compiled using churches listed in Thom’s Irish Almanac and Official Directory for 1853, does not include churches extinct in or established after 1853.  Includes County Parish listings for Carlow, Dublin, Dublin City, Kildare, Kilkenny, Leix (Queens), Longford, Louth, Meath, Offaly (Kings), Westmeath, Wexford, and Wicklow.  Denominations listed are Church of Ireland, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, and Others. A map of Civil Parishes by County is provided with grid number corresponding to entries for each parish.

Ireland: Genealogy & Family History of Counties Kildare, Wicklow, and Carlow compiled by The Irish Genealogical Foundation

Call Number: Geneal. 929.34184 G2862     Publication Date: 2006

Date Range: 1659-1900

Part one provides local and national resource list, also includes Passenger List from Kildare, Wicklow, and Carlow taken from “Names of Irish Passengers to America”; listings provide surname, first name, date, townland, and county of departure, and name of vessel for passengers departing between 1812-1817 (with the majority falling within 1916-17).  Part two is the returns for the 1659 census, showing contemporary spelling variations for family and place names. Indexes of families, topography, and Irish wills are found at the end of this section. Part three contains Coats of Arms and genealogical notes; Family History Notes are included in Part Four. Part five is an index of place names and various county maps.

 

County Carlow: Carlow Town Family Roots, Exploring Family Origins in Carlow Town compiled by Noel Farrell

Call Number: Geneal. 929.34188 F2476ecc      Publication Date: 2001

Includes record lists for Carlow Town and Graiguecullen; 1901 Census on pages 2-17, 1936 Elector’s List, list of Carlow Town and Graiguecullen pubs in 1940, 1911 Census on pages 26-41, 1852 Griffiths Valuation, brief history of Carlow, and a town map showing Carlow in 1852.

929.4: Books under this dewey number at the McClelland Library are primarily about names.  Books in this section can contain information about surnames, forenames, and even baby names. While these books may have information in general about your surname, they do not contain lineage information.

The Surnames of Ireland by Edward MacLysaght

Call Number: Geneal. 929.4094 M226s 1991       Publication Date: 1991

Date Range: 1848-1864

Contains location of ancient territories, population groups, relevant abbreviations and explanation of technical terms used in guide.  Pages 1-303 provide alphabetical listing of surnames, followed by an appendix of English and Scottish surnames in Ireland, and an appendix providing a simplification of Gaelic forms of surnames.

929.5: Books under this dewey number at the McClelland Library are primarily about Cemeteries.

A Guide to Irish Churches and Graveyards by Brian Mitchell

Call Number: Geneal. 929.50941 G9415

Publication Date: 1990

Guide to the cemeteries and graveyards listed by county with civil parish, townland, Ordnance Survey sheet number, religious denomination of church, and indication of whether cemetery or graveyard remains attached to church.  There is a number preceding each listing that provides reference to map location in author’s atlas, A New Genealogical Atlas of Ireland.  Especially helpful in locating approximate birthdates, person’s residence at time of death, possibly family information (if family plot).

929.6 – 929.8: Books under this dewey number at the McClelland Library are primarily about family Heraldry.  Heraldry includes family crests and tartans.

The Poolbeg Book of Irish Heraldry by Micheal O` Comain

Call Number: Geneal. 929.6 012p Heraldry     Publication Date: 1991

An introduction to Irish heraldry this guide is a good starting point as it contains general guidelines for researching.  Included on pages 71-98 is a Heraldic Dictionary that provides the meanings of a variety of images, heraldic terminology, and variations in spelling of terms and phrases.

Fairbairn’s Crests of the Families of Great Britain and Ireland by James Fairbairn

Call Number: Geneal. 929.6041 F1507f Heraldry      Publication Date: 1986

Contains survey of over 30,000 families, geographical associations, legends and mottos.  Index of family names are arranged alphabetically on pages 1-522, glossary of terms pages 523-530, and alphabetical index of mottoes on pages 531-599.  Also included is an index of plates of Crests, Orders and Regalia, Flags, Ornamental Lettering, Monograms, Heraldic Illustrations, Foreign Crowns, and Principal Cities, and Regalia of Scotland.